Remand for three escaped detainees extended

Police have obtained an order to extend the remand of three detainees who were rearrested after escaping police custody in an incident last Jan 7 for another six days starting January 19.

Penang deputy police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Jaafar said the order on Mohd Farid Akhtar, 24, Mohd Shahrimi Mohd Noor, 28, and Mohd Khairulnizam Abdul Rani, 26, was issued by Magistrate Mohamad Firdaus Abdul Wahab.

"Police have almost completed the investigation papers on the case and will sent the papers to the Public Prosecutor's Office soon for further instructions," he said.

The three suspects were rearrested six days ago after police launched a manhunt for them and four other detainees who escaped from police custody while being transported from the Penang Prison to the court here.

Mohd Farid was rearrested when he went to ask for food at a food stall in Kampung Petani, Kubang Seman, at about 9pm last Saturday, while Mohd Shahrimi gave himself up at the Penanti market at about 10pm the same day.

Mohd Khairulnizam was detained at a Internet cafe in Berapit, Bukit Mertajam the following day.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rahim, said the search for the remaining two escaped detainees, Hamzani Harun, 37, and Hisham Abdul Rahman, 39, continued.

Based on information, police believed they were still in Penang, said Abdul Rahim, who is leading the special team in the search operation code-named "Ops Kesan Gelugor".

In the incident on Jan 9, nine detainees escaped from police custody while being transported from the Penang Prison to the Butterworth court by hijacking the police van which they were travelling in.

Two of them were rearrested near the police van which was found abandoned at Kampung Padang Chempedak, Tasek Gelugor, while two others were shot dead while attempting to escape police arrest in a car at Kampung Padang Ibu in Bukit Mertajam near here.

The two detainees who died were Mohd Fairuz Adam, 31, also known as Joe Mafia, and Mohd Noor Mustafa, 28, also a member of the "Joe Mafia" gang.